TFPP 079: Meditation 3 of 6- The aware and thinking minds

The Flowstate Performance Podcast

In this week’s episode, we dive into part 3 of the 6 part series: “Meditation and living in the flow of life.” The theme for this week is understanding the 2 minds: The thinking mind and the aware mind.

The Thinking Mind:

The thinking mind is a goal-oriented, problem-solving mechanism.

Used creatively and skillfully, the thinking mind gives us huge potential for growth. But just like a knife will not be much good painting a picture or expressing your love for someone, our thinking mind is not tool to be used all the time.

This is what the thinking mind is awesome at:

• memory and imagination
• value: judging/evaluating/comparing
• meaning: analysing/interpreting
• naming: labelling/categorising
• linear: logic/reason
• projection: recall/rehearse/speculate/anticipate/expect

This is what happens when you think too much and go into “monkey mind”.

• Blame/resentment
• Guilt/shame
• Intolerance
• Pride/Stubbornness
• Perfectionism
• Righteousness
• Inflexible expectations
• Defensiveness/Control
• Reactivity
• Despair
• Helplessness/Hopelessness
• Self-pity

The Aware mind (or present moment awareness), is the mind from which arises peace, stillness, tranquillity, intuition, knowing, spaciousness.

Here are some ways to deal with excessive thought.

• Choosing to be present
• Diaphragmatic Breath
• Sensuality
• Feeling the feelings and needs
• Listening deeply
• Speaking the truth
• Contact with Nature
• Rest/relaxation/mindfulness meditation
• Fun/laughter
• Movement/exercise
• Constructive thinking
• Listening to music

See what all these activities have in common? They bring you into the present moment. And as Eckhart Tolle says, “You cannot be both unhappy and fully present in the Now.”

Listen in to learn more about how to navigate from thinking mind addiction and about the power of the breath.

These are the quotes I share in this episode

“There are thousands upon thousands of students

who have practised meditation and obtained its fruits.

Do not doubt its possibilities because of the simplicity of the method.

If you can not find the truth right where you are,

where else do you expect to find it?”

:: Zenji Dogen

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“The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive. To put it more accurately, it is not so much that you use your mind wrongly — you usually don’t use it at all. It uses you. This is the disease. You believe that you are your mind. This is the delusion. The instrument has taken you over.”

:: Eckhart Tolle

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“I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.”

:: Mark Twain

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“What a liberation to realize that the “voice in my head” is not who I am. Who am I then? I am the one who sees that.”

:: Eckhart Tolle

Useful Resources

• Episode 1 of 6 in this meditation series
• Episode 2 of 6 in this series
• Some guided meditations I made– go to track 4 for breath
• A super simple guide to meditation

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